Abraham Flexner

Abraham Flexner (November 13, 1866 – September 21, 1959) was an American educator, best known for his role in the 20th century reform of medical and higher education in the United States and Canada.

Early life and education

Abraham Flexner was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the sixth of nine children of German Jewish immigrants. He completed his early education in the public schools of Louisville, and then attended the Johns Hopkins University, where he graduated in 1886.

Career

After a brief period as a high school teacher, Flexner founded a private school in Louisville in 1890. He pursued this endeavor for 15 years, during which time he developed his thoughts on education, culminating in his book The American College (1908).

In 1908, Flexner was hired by the Carnegie Foundation to write a study of medical education in the United States and Canada, a work which came to be known as the Flexner Report. This report led to the reform of medical education, with many medical schools closing and the remaining ones altering their curricula to incorporate Flexner's ideas.

Flexner also played a key role in the founding of the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.

Legacy

Flexner's work transformed the nature and process of medical education, making it a rigorous and scientifically grounded endeavor. His influence extended beyond medicine, impacting the entire field of professional education.

See also

• Medical education
• History of education in the United States